Diamond and related types of coatings are typically applied by disposing the substrate to be coated within a reaction chamber and then initiating the chemical or physical reaction that results in the deposition of coating material on the substrate. Containment of a large substrate in a reaction chamber, however, requires a large and expensive structure.
The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for coating articles of manufacture, vehicle bodies, boat hulls, and other large stuctures with diamond and diamond-like materials and the like which are formed in situ on all or select portions of the surfaces of such articles or structures. A portable reaction apparatus is employed which is positioned to engage a select portion of the surface being coated and to coat the surface interior of an opening to a reaction zone or chamber. In one form, the portable coating apparatus is hand held and is selectively disposed or forced into engagement with the surface to be coated. In another form, it is supported by an automatic manipulator or arm assembly which is computer controlled in its operation to predeterminately position the coating apparatus against the work and operate the coating means thereof to coat just one select portion of the surface or a plurality of select surface portions which may be either a continuous extension of the originally coated portion or separated by spaces to form discrete are as of coating. The coating apparatus is thus relatively small in size and may be employed to coat relatively large areas by step applying the coating material area-by-area each time the portable device is held stationary against or above the article or structure and/or by slideably engaging the surface being coated with the coating apparatus and moving it in sliding movement across such surface while applying and forming coating materials into coatings using one or more forms of radiation to form and bond the coating material to the substrate.
In a preferred form, the portable coating tool has an opening to a reaction chamber and an external rim surrounding such opening for engaging a surface of an article or assembly and effecting a fluid pressure seal therewith. Coating material is thus prevented from escaping or flowing across the seal during the coating operation. The reaction chamber may be automatically evacuated of air or held at ambient or an increased air pressure during the coating operation. Heat is generated by radio frequency, microwave, plasma, laser or other means while coating material or precursor material is introduced into the volume between the surface to coated and the internal reaction zone to cause such material to release carbon atoms to the surface and to form a synthetic diamond or diamond-like coating thereon. The entire coating operation, including the operation of a manipulator arm assembly upon which is mounted the coating apparatus, may be computer controlled.
It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provide a new and improved apparatus and method for applying coatings of hard, wear and corrosion resistant materials, such as synthetic diamond and diamond-like material, to the surfaces of articles of manufacture that are not readily coatable with conventional coating apparatus.
It is a further object to provide a hand-held coating apparatus which may be selectively positioned to coat select areas of an object.
It is a further object to provide a coating apparatus mounted upon a manipulator arm assembly which may be selectively positioned to coat select areas of an object under computer control.
It is a further object to provide a computer controlled coating apparatus operated in accordance with feedback signals generated by sensing means which sense one or more process variables relating to the coating operation.
Other objects, features, and advantages of the invention will become evident in light of the following detailed description considered in conjunction with the referenced drawings of a preferred exemplary embodiment according to the present invention.